


Cold Cold Cold

by cqrvid



Category: TAZ (Amnesty), The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, In a way, Spoilers for episode 21, TAZ (Amnesty) - Freeform, The Adventure Zone (Amnesty), i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 03:27:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17593733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cqrvid/pseuds/cqrvid
Summary: Hollis finds some shit out about Jake in the worst way possible.





	Cold Cold Cold

Hollis had decided against taking the whole team this time around, figuring it was safer to just bring Keith as they were just following tracks to where Hollis last saw this thing, where they had tracked it to that first horrible night it attacked them. They kept to their bat, it seemed to beat the thing to hell the first time well enough so they weren’t going to go changing it. Keith went for something smaller, a small switchblade, again they weren’t planning to run into anything just scope the area so they weren’t going to give him shit for it this time.

Next they knew, their shaking hands fastened firmly on the worn wooden bat, realizing it was possibly a mistake now to only have this along as the… whatever the thing was in front of them, held firmly onto their lieutenant - their _friend_ \- Keith in it’s clawed hands, fresh bite out of the back of his neck, not to mention the… mess on said creatures face, turning the snow under them red. Hollis has never felt such fear but drive in their life as they watched it toss his now limp body to about a foot from Hollis’s feet. They stared down at his unconscious form for a second and when they looked back at the creature it was halfway to them, charging them. Just as it was about to make contact with them they stepped to the side and swung the bat behind them, before swinging it back forward and making contact with the mid torso, they assumed at least, of the creature as hard as they could, knocking it back onto the ground with a hard thump, knocking them prone. Hollis debated between taking the bat down on them again, but instead ran over to Keith’s what seemed like lifeless form. 

They kneeled in the snow, placing two fingers on the side of his neck, checking for a pulse that they so relievingly found. It was faint but it was there and that’s all Hollis needed. They glanced up again as they heard the snow crunching and managed to catch a glance at the creature, this time it was over them and as soon as they saw it, a clawed hand raked across Hollis’s face, but before hunching over they brought the bat up against and swung it into the creatures arm. It let out a devil-ish screech as it wrenched back from the blow. It brought another hand down towards Hollis’s face and managed to grab it, digging its claws in deep to their cheeks as it managed to lift them just slightly off the ground. They pounded their fists against its arm but it only managed to drop them when a hard wind knocked them both to the ground. Hollis held their now bleeding face and looked up at the unnatural wind source and saw, even though they would never admit it, just the people they were hoping to. The three they told to stay out of it all, Duck, Ned, and Aubrey if they managed to remember their names right, Aubrey’s hands were out stretched as the last of the hard wind swept over Hollis and the creature. Hollis took the opportunity to leap back up and stand over Keith’s body. Aubrey, now beside them as they gathered their bat back into their bloody hands,

“Get out of here!” She yelled at them.

“I-” 

Hollis was cut off of speaking as suddenly a shadow fell on them both, and then a rumbling cracking noise sounded from in front of them and as soon as they looked over again, there was a thick sheet of ice separating the group from the creature. They looked over at Aubrey quickly, expecting to see her hands out again, but she just stared in disbelief, down at her hands, and then swung her head around behind them where they came from. Hollis followed her gaze and there he was. Jake was standing at the edge of the clearing, clearly panting as he was slightly hunched over, one hand on his knees, the other outstretched and above his head. Everything in Hollis’s mind shut down, they had no idea what to make of the scene when suddenly the creature finally managed to break through the ice, sending it shattering down around them. Hollis and Aubrey both reflexibly covering their heads as it felt like sharp hail was raining down on them. 

Hollis heard a low growl as the creature slammed into them, knocking them to the ground, barely missing Keith as they hit with a hard slam on the hard frozen ground. They lifted their bat above their head holding it on either side as the creatures jaws and claws instantly got trapped on it, just managing to catch it before it took a bite out of them. They grunted as they tried to counter the weight it was putting on it but their arms gave way and both the bat and creature hit full force against their chest. The breath completely knocked out of them they laid stunned for a second as the claws dug into the top of their head and forced their head up, they only managed to catch quickly out of the corner of their eye its jaw open wide. They squeezed their eyes shut expecting it to end there when suddenly the weight and claws were shoved off their body. They inhaled a sharp rapid breath as they held their neck, making sure for no blood or bite and turned over, managing to get to their knees. What they saw next to them they didn't think would ever properly process in their mind.

A massive lanky form was rolling and intertwined with the creature, getting in as many hits as it could on it while it equally tried to claw and kick it off of them. The fight was going fast and Hollis was suddenly very out of it, but what they did manage to get a glimpse of was a lot of blue, and a lot of ice. Hollis just stared for a few seconds in… confusion and amazement before shaking their head and crawling over to Keith’s body, which has now turned all the snow around his head a deep crimson red. Sickening. They checked for a pulse again, thankfully it was still there, but it was weaker… slower. They took off his scarf to wrap it around his neck tighter to try and stop the bleeding but it was already soaked through, it wouldn't work. They desperately looked around and on their person for something small but thick enough to do the job but came up empty handed. They started to try and lift him up so they could somehow carry him to a hospital or someplace that could at least help, but as they were a hand laid on their shoulder and a clean scarf in the persons other hand fell in front of them. They turned around to see who it was and saw finally who the other thing was that was rolling on the ground with the first creature. A massive, no less than 8’ _easily_ blue skinned… thing. They looked gaunt like they hadn't eaten in months, lanky in every aspect, their hair looked brittle, like if you went out with wet hair and died in the snow, their fingers were long and ended in a black purple frostbite. There was a long cut on their cheek, leaking _blue_ blood down their sickly face. Their eyes pierced through Hollis, cutting through them like butter and suddenly they felt very small. 

“Take it,” 

They shoved their hand holding the scarf towards Hollis in a more urgent motion. Hollis snatched it from their hand and pulled away from them, dragging Keith a foot away from them and then, acting fast, tied it around his neck tight enough that he could still breathe but hopefully would stop the bleeding enough for him to not die. They glanced over at the figure who was now squatted down watching them, if they reached they might even be able to see concern across their face. Hollis looked around quickly, seeing the three fighting off the first monster, but they no longer saw Jake. 

Their ears suddenly rang so loud they could no longer hear the scuffle behind them, they stared down at Keith’s bloodied face, unable to force themself to look away or move. It felt like their heart was going to burst out of their chest just as they saw out of the corner of their eye, those same long frostbitten hands reach down and grab Keith, managing to get him just slightly off the ground before Hollis suddenly snatched their bat from the ground and swung it without even trying to aim, whiffing just past Jake, making him tumble backwards into the snow. 

“H- Hollis!” He managed to huff as he landed hard on the ground.

They didn’t respond as they hurried to their feet and tried to run at home, tripping over Keith’s body and falling flat in the snow. As they laid there for a second, breath forced out of them, Jake managed to his feet, backing away from them. 

“We- Hollis we need to get you both out of here- he’s going to die!” 

“SHUT UP,”

“H-”

“I said shut up!” 

They jumped to their feet and swung at him again, managing to make contact with his arms as they flew up to block it. He quickly grabbed their bat. Managing, without much of a struggle, to keep it held so they couldn't wrench it away from him. 

“Listen to me, okay? I can ex-”

“No, you can’t explain anything! We- You’re a monster! Just like that _thing_ and we all _trusted_ you? Keith trusted you, _I_ trusted you! We’ve had our differences Jake, if that’s even your name, but you’re a TRAITOR.” 

Hollis pulled back and kicked out one of Jake’s knees, making him fall to the ground again as they pulled the bat from his hands. They brought the bat down towards his head but Jake managed to put his arms up and stop it in time, ice instantly engulfed the bat when it made contact with his arms. They took a few steps back, staring at it in horror, then back at a now standing Jake. 

“Hollis I just want to help I- You would have died if I didn’t help, Keith would be dead, have I attacked you or anyone, can that-” He flew a hand over towards the abomination and the other three in the midst of fighting, “-talk? We’re not the same! Please let me help you _both_!” 

They stood back, staring at him… as much as they could. It was hard to look at something like that, at least what they were originally fighting seemed vaguely human besides the claws and… jaw. Jake was, he was massive and just _long_ in every aspect. He looked like a walking corpse and it was sickening. They couldn’t imagine the average height, blonde hair, always bright guy behind it. His voice was the same but this wasn’t their old friend. They felt their knees buckle as they tried so hard to stay standing, even though they were exhausted and hurt and cold. They sat in the snow, leaning on their now iced bat, closing their eyes as they put their head against it. Trying to just breathe and process everything that happened. Jake slowly walked over to Keith’s limp form, gently picking him up and then walking over in front of Hollis, extending a hand to help them up. 

“I got it, I’m fine.”

Using their bat, they stood, taking a minute to steadying themself and then starting to walk towards the forest surrounding the large circle clearing, hearing Jake stand there for a minute before following close behind them. 

___________________

Hollis had their head resting in their folded arms that were laid on top the small bedside table the hospital room had to offer. They had managed to at least, begin processing everything that happened not even 5 hours ago, but questions were still swarming their brain. The cuts on their face had been treated and they insisted on no bandages for them, they weren’t bleeding anymore anyways, they’ve had worse then a cut open nose and split lip anyways. Once they were allowed out of their own room they knew they would end up staying in Keith’s until he woke up again, they’ve only been there a couple hours and he still wasn’t awake, the doctors said they got there just in time with him… but Hollis knew that already. No one should be able to soak through two different thick scarves, and turn multiple patches of snow deep red and parts melted from the heat and still be healthy, or alive if they’re lucky. 

When Jake and them got to the hospital, Jake took the scarf off Keith’s neck and handed him to Hollis, saying he wasn’t able to go inside but if he could, he would explain everything. Hollis had no energy to argue or be mad anymore, and Keith’s weight was hard to carry only for the fact that they were so exhausted from everything that happened, they feared they would collapse and drop him. They just wanted him to get help, they couldn’t focus on whatever the fuck was happening with Jake.

They were just starting to manage to sleep when there was a knock at the door and then a slow creaking as it opened, they turned around expecting out of all people to see Keith’s own parents but instead they saw Jake. The Jake they’ve always known, not the big corpse looking one. The painfully bright one that drew way too much attention to himself despite what he apparently is.

Hollis just stared as he walked past them and to the other side of the room where the chair Hollis is sitting in originated, sitting in the remaining one there. He didn’t say anything for a few seconds, just stared between Hollis and Keith and then out into nothingness, fidgeting with the scarf tied around his neck. 

“Has he still not woken up?” He finally broke the silence as he blurted the question out a little rushed, sounding clearly nervous.

“No,”

“He’ll live though, yeah?”

“Yes, just barely.”

He nodded and looked down at the ground. 

“I suppose I owe you an explanation-”

“Yeah I think that’s in order, it better be a good one too.”

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair and then pulled his scarf up covering his face a little.

“So I’m not… _human_ ,” 

“I gathered that, thank you. What are you.”

“I’m- Okay. This is a long story and if I tell you it all I feel like I’ll be in trouble so… like… I’m from another place, connected to earth, and I was kicked out of that place so now I have to live here and I was given a thing so I looked human so no one would like… kill me. I’m Jack Frost-”

Hollis couldn’t help but laugh in complete disbelief.

“Stop bullshitting me, Jake.”

“I’m not.”

The certainty, the honesty, in his voice sent a shiver down Hollis’s spine,

“What do you mean, you’re… you’re meaning to tell me you’re the fun kid’s story of a guy that brings winter? What like Mother Nature and Father Time and all that?”

“Well… yeah I guess? I _do_ make winter, like… your world can do it on it’s own but it’s also kind of my job you know? Like, to help it.”

“ _Prove it_.”

He seemed to physically tense up when they said that, even from across the room, Hollis could see how bad he was shaking. They opened their mouth to tell him he didn’t actually have to but before they could, Jake was standing and filling a small paper cup with water. He walked over to Hollis, sitting on the edge of Keith’s hospital bed, and holding the cup out for them to see into, and just like that the water and cup it was inside of turned into sheer ice. Jake opened his hand and let it fell to the ground and it shattered on impact, making Hollis jump back into their chair.

“Holy shit,”

“Yeah, I can do that and a lot more that I can’t really… do indoors but, that ice wall earlier was me, and your bat… sorry about that,” 

He moved off the bed and paced the room, laughing nervously as they finished their sentence. Hollis leaned forward, leaning on their knees, now very interested.

“So how do you stay looking normal like this?”

“My scarf… it’s enchanted so I don’t get found out,”

They stared at him expectantly, not having to say anything as he stared back at them. He sighed and waited in silence for a minute before pulling it off his neck. Instantly he turned into that massive lanky figure from earlier. He quickly wrapped it back around his neck and sat down in the chair again, staring at them with mild fear and nervousness present on his face.

“Please don’t tell anyone or… try to kill me again I’ve, and others, have worked hard to keep this stuff quiet and you never should have known I just… wasn’t going to let either of you die,” 

He motioned with one shaking hand between Hollis and Keith. A smile spread across Hollis’s face as they leaned back into their chair again.

“Oh I won’t. No this is _fascinating_.”


End file.
